Parola Suspension Lamp

Gae Aulenti graduated from Milan Polytechnic in 1953 and since 1956 has worked in the city designing for architecture, interiors and industry and theatre scenery. In the early eighties she was the artistic director at FontanaArte, creating timeless lamps and furnishing elements for the company that are still in the catalogue. Her architectonic projects are many and prestigious and include restoration of the Palavela in Turin for the Winter Olympic Games in 2006; the institute of culture in Tokyo (2006); restoration of Palazzo Branciforte in Palermo and transformation into a museum (2011).She received many prizes and awards, including: "Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur" (Paris), Honorary Member of the American Institute of Architects.Hon FAIA; Premium Imperiale for Architecture (Tokyo), "Knight Grand Cross" of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Rome), honorary degree in the Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, USA).

He graduated in Architecture in Milan and started his career in the seventies, working alongside his father Livio in their design studio.During this period he developed lighting engineering projects for many art galleries and temporary exhibits, hotels, offices, showrooms, shops and private homes. The Scintilla system, which he co-designed with his father, is a FontanaArte bestseller and the result of the experience he gained during those years. He also designed Sillaba in the same period, followed by Sillabone, inaugurating a new business sector for the Milan-based company, on the fine line between decorative and technical lighting. Together with Gae Aulenti, in the eighties he designed the Parola family and the more techno Calle and Diamante lamps.His most important lighting projects over recent years are: Georges Pompidou Centre – Museum of Contemporary Art (Paris, 1985); Palazzo Grassi (Venice, 1986); Orsay Museum (Paris, 1986); Palazzo Italia at the International Expo '92 (Seville, 1992); Groninger Museum (Groninger, 1994); State Art Gallery (San Paolo, 1998); Poldi Pezzoli Museum (Milan, 2000); Latin American Art Museum (Buenos Aires, 2001); Arcimboldi Theatre (Milan, 2002); Galleria Colonna (Rome, 2003); St. Pierre’s Church (Freiburg, 2008).